Valve



l` Q2 sheets-sheet 2c Sept.` l5, 1942. c. o. HENRYY VALVEV Filed Aug. 4, 1941- mw mmc um Gttornegs.

i Patented Sept. 15, 1942 `to, Maine Steel, Inc., South Portland, Maine, a

corporation of-Maine Q lower the receptacle.`

i draulic ram,

by the control valve illustrated in VInfine drawings, wherein- `through the valve,

Application August 4, 1941,' serio1 No. toa-toiv 5o1aims.(c1.so52) `'I'his invention relates to control. valves'for hydraulic rams, and although useful in many industrlal' applications, is particularly A,advantageous when usedin connection with a. material loading and` collecting` machine; such as shown that the receptacle may descend'by gravity and momentum, but under the control, however, of

the valve which at substantially this moment is in the Andersen Patents Nos. 2,182,781, dated Desomber-'12, 1 939,.and No. 2,233,237, dated February 25,`1941, but equipped, however, with a hydraulic raminstead of a winch to raise and Where such a machine is equipped with a hy-4 the problemgis to so control theapplication of the hydraulic vpressure that when the movement of the vreceptacle is arrested at a stop or hold position, the stopping eii'ect will be cushioned soas to avoid undue` shock. Where the receptacle is abruptly stopped. in its Inovement, the weight and momentum of the recepshifted to the iowen'ng position of Fig; 5.' In the' lowering position of 'Fig.'5, `the flow.. of the pres-y sure-fluidreturning from the ram to the reserve tank through the valve is so controlled by the valve as to deceleratethe speed of descent of holdthe receptacle at anypoint in-V its travel,

the receptacle and to cushion its drop.V

thereceptacle approaches its final lowered position, or if it should be `desired to stop and the `valve is shifted to the neutral or stop or tacle not only tends to tip upone end ofkthe i tractor, but exerts severe stresses lon the parts.;y

Accordingly,`th`e general object of my inven-f-i tion'is to provide a control valve for a hydraulic ram which will cushionl the tnhisood4 and thereby avoid undue shocks to the;

vstopping effect upon Another object is to provide ateontrol valve of positive in actionunderfall vconditions of service.

ho1d, position of Figs. 2 and 3 and in -this position likewise the flow of the pressure fluid is so controlled by the valve `as tocushion the shock of the stopping action. Referring first to Fig. '7, wherein I have diagrammed the uuid-circulating system, the ey1- `inder and piston of ahydraulic ram of conven` tional type are designated at l0 and il,`respec tively, and the load to be moved by said piston `simple, inexpensive construction which willbe l These Objects, and other advantages which will appear as the description proceeds, are attained the accompa- Fig. 1 is an end elevation of e control volvo in accordance with my present invention. Figs. "2 and :i` are sections onv the lines 2-2 and 3 3, respectively, shown in its neutral or-fhold position. i. Figs. 4 and 5 are partial' longitudinal sections in load-raisingl position, and in F1235 in loadloweringr position. i Fig. 6 is a section on the-line 6 6, of Fig. 3', and

Fig. 'I is a diagram of the huid-pressure. circuit.

i sure-fluidfromthe pump `to the ram so as to i lswing-the receptacle upwardly fin an overhead pathfrom the rear end towardsfthe front, end of the tractonor viceversa.

tially at themoment that the receptacle reaches of Fig. lfthe valve being snowing in Fig. 4 the parts is designated at l'2.` Such load may be the receptacle of said patented machine aforesaid.

' Ihe oil or other iluid under pressure for actuating the piston ii is supplied from a reserve tank I3 communicatingyas at I 4 with the inlet side of a power-,driven pump I5. When applied tothe patented `machine aforesaid, the pump i5 may be driven from the motor of the tractoror other propulsion vehicle of. said machine.

Connected as at I6 to the outlet side ofthe pump ,is my novelv control valve, indicated generally at I1, and detailed in Figs. 16, inclusive.

When said valve is adjusted to the hold" position of Figs. 2 and 3, the pressure uid is passed through said valvetothe'reserve tank by means of conduit i8, as indicated by the arrows A.

When the valve is adjusted to the load-raising position of Fig. 4, the pressure fluid travels `through the` valve and along conduit I9 in the 1 direction of thelarrows B to the cylinder Iii and When myvnovel control valve is used in con- "impinges upon the piston headito slide the pis- `iiection with a loading machine of the type diston inthe load-raising direction; l

Wh'en the valve is adjusted to the load-lower- -ing position (Fig. 5) the weight offthe load against the piston forces the fluid 'along the same conduit IS by which it entered the cylinder',` but action is .discontinued subston-I aPP'l'Oximateiy verticalfposition in its travelrso 55 inreverse direction as indicated by the arrows Cto the control valve i1. and thence by way of conduit lbck to the `reserve tank. i

In reachingp the rain, the fluid is preferably` passed through afconvfentional safety valve 2l),`

which vis interposed-inl the circuitbetween the conduit 2| with' the reserve tank. The purpose of this safety valve isto permit the uid to reto the load end of the ram. V

Referring now to Figs. l to 6, inclusive, wherein I have detailed the structure of my novel control valve -I1, I have designated at 22l the main valve .casing or head which denes the main valve chamber within which slides the manually operable -slide valve 23. Extending from the main valve casingl 22 is a supplemental valve casing 24 within which is mounted a safety valve 25 (Fig. 2).

The main valve casing 22 is a cored block or casting closed at its front and rear .end by flanged plates 26 and 21, which provide aligned supports 28 and 29 for a slidable valve 'actuator 30 and a fixed valve guide 3|, respectively, and also furnish attaching ,means for mounting the entire valve unit upon the machine with which it is to be used.

The valve guide is a solid rod spaced from but turn direct to the tank if an overload is applied self-aligning with the slidable valve actuator 30.

Its forward end is reduced and headed as at 32 within an annular recess formed in the forward mitting the guide to automatically align itself with the actuator 30. Y

Between its ends the guide 3| is reduced as at 33 to permit ow of the fluid from openings 68 to openings 68 to establish a cushioning eigct as the valve approaches its hold positionfas will be hereinafter explained.

The actuator projects beyond the end plate 21' and is there connected to any suitable operating lever. As shown, the outer end of member 30 is pivoted at 34 between a pair of links 35 which in turn are pivoted at 36 to the bifurcated lower end of an operating lever 31 having a hand grasping knob 38 at its upper end. The lever 31 is pivoted between its ends at 39 within a suit- 2ailebracket 40 projecting from the valve casing Pinned at 4I to the forward endvof the valve actuator 30 so asto slide therewith is the tubular slide valve 23. SaidI valve is sleeved over andfguide'd upon the xed guide member 3|, and

has a valve portion 43 near its rear; end, a valve portion 44 near its forward end, and a third valve portion 45 intermediate of its ends. 'I'he valve portion 45 is formed to present a pair of spaced anges 46 and 46' at its ends.

The main valve casing 22 is bore'd from end to end to provide a snug ilt between the` casing and the slidable valve 23. This bore is intercepted at spaced intervals by four annular ports 50, 5|, 52 and 53,- respectively, the endmost pair of which, 50 and 53, are connected. with each other by a by-pass 54 cored in the casing 22.

Attached to the outer face of the valve portion 44 is a collar 55 within which is reciprocably mounted a plurality of radially spaced springpressed detents inthe form o1' balls 56 (see Fig.

- 6) which are adapted to enter within an annular groove. 51 milled in the adjacent portion of the to admit iiuid from the pump to the main valve casing at all times.

One of the walls 59 which define the-inlet chamber 56 has a port 60 to receive the head A6| of the safety valve 25 which is mounted within a valve chamber 62 cored in the extension casing 24 behind ,the wall 59 and connecting with the port 5U in the main valve casing 22 in all oper.v ating positions of the main valve 23.

Coiled about the stem oi the safety valve 25 is a spring 63 which reacts between collars 64 fast on said stem adjacent its ends. The steml itself is guided within an adjustable tubular guide 65 which is threaded through the rear wall 66 of the extension 24 and concealed by a removable cap 61. Y

In all operating positions of the main valve 23, the fluid under pressure from pump I5 is delivered by pipe I6 into the inlet chamber 56 of the supplemental valve casing 24 and from 'said chamber passes into port 52 to the main valvercasing 22.

When the parts are in the neutral or"hold position illustrated in Figs, 2 and l3, the `iluid is returned from valve casing 22 to rserve tank I3 by means of port 53 and return pip'e I8. In this position of the valve 23 the iluid is blocked from the port 5| however, by the flange 46 of the intermediate valve portion 45 of the slide valve 23 and consequently cannot pass through pipe I9 f to the hydraulic ram.

valve guide 3| and frictionally lock the slide valve 23 in the-neutral or hold in Figs. 2 and 3.-

At one end, the extension valve casing' 24 is internally cored to provide an inlet chamber 58 into which the conduit I6 fromthepump direct- 1y discharges (see Fig. 2). -Thechamber 58 connectswith the port-52 in the mainj'valve casing position shown 22m all operating positions of the, valve 23 so as .serve tank.

When the hand lever 31 is shifted to move the parts to the loadraising position shown in Fig. 4,

the fluid from the pump pipe I6 enters main valve casing 22 at port 52, andas indicated by the arrows `B in said iigure discharges through port ,5| into the pipe' I9 leading to the hydraulic ram.

In this position of the parts, the valve portion -44 blocks port 53 and consequently the pressure guig cannot pass through pipe I6 to the reserve an v II while the valve 23 is in the raising position, however. the load on the ram should be greater per square inch than the limit at which the safety valve 25 is set, the pressure will unseat the safety valve from port 60 and the uid will pass through said port into chamber 62 and thence back to the reserve tankbyvway of port 50, by'- pass 54, port 53 and pipe I8.l

When` thelever' 31 is shifted to move the parts .to the load-lowering position shown in Fig. 5,

iluid from the pump pipe I6 entering main valve casing 22 through port 52 discharges through port 53.into pipe I6, as shown by the arrows A. The fluid returning from the hydraulic ram along pipe I3 enters main valve casing 22 through port 5I and asindicated by the arrows C, passes through port 50 into by-pass 54 and discharges through port 53 into pipe I6 leading to the re- Where the valve 23 is used to control the receptacl'showr-in said patented machine,'it is essential, however, that the receptacle be brought .to a cushioned stop at any time in its Adownwardv travel, To accomplish this the valve 23 is slowly adjusted from its lowering position (Fig. 5) to-i wards its holding position (Figs. Z'and 3). 'As

-the port 5I becomes blocked by flange 46 of said valve, chamber '43 which lies between iianges 4l snide u and `out thrtugh haiesss'w'hish inw myy invention Letters Patent is: l 1. A control Avalve for controlling the flow of fluid in a system linoluding a pump controlled source anda hydraulic ram, comprising a ,valve connect directly with outlet port 53;

est

By thus grsdusuy shutting es the'now ofthev uid from the ram, the 'ram is broughtto la cushioned stop. This cushioning action is continued until in the further movement.` voi' the valve tothe lftin Figs. 2 and 3, the holes 68 are gradually' closedfbythe enlarged part 3| of theguide ilow of oil from the ram stops and the receptacle When these holes are entirely closed'the system of the type wherein fluid under pressure is pumped by alpump from a reserve tank to a' hydraulic ram whichraises, lowers, and stops and holds a load, comprisinga valve casing having a flrstportfor admitting pressure iluid :from

the pump to the valve casing, a second port for sending pressure fluid from the valve casing to the reserve tank,` and a third port for sending islat rest and stays fat rest until the valve is shifted to eitherits raising'or lowering p osition.

In all operating positions of the valve, portions -of the .fluid from main valve `casing `22 may bleed through passages 69 and'19 cored in the main valve casing `22 adjacent its ends. .Passage -69 connects by-pass 5l with an annular recess said second valve portion having a bleeder opening therein, and said valve between said valve 69' inthe iront bracket 28 and recess 69 `communicates as at 10 with a passage 1| within the front support 29 leading into a chamber 48l betweenthe 'head 44 of the valve and the .bracket 26.. Passage 19 communicates through vopening 80 with a chamber 41 between the portion 43 oi the valve and the rear bracket 21.

Hence 4it results that if any fluid leaks past portions I3 or Il and partiallytllls chambers 41 and 48, such iluid may be automatically, dism- .charged through port 53 into pipe `I6 leading to the reserve tank. This avoids .creating any built-up pressures which would resist movement lof the `valve in either direction. The spaceseparating the forwardendfof actuator 30 and the rear end'of guide `3| is likewiseivented back to port 53=by means of opening 23 in slide valve 23. j

Various modiilcations in construction, design and operation of m'y device may be restorted to without departing from the spirit and'scope of if within the-limits of the appended claims.- i

`What`Itherefore` claim and desire to secure -by casing having a frst port forl admitting lfluid l under pressurefrom said source,"a second port for sending huid. under pressure to said source,I

"pressure fluid from thevaive casing tothe hy- `draulic ram, aflxed guide in said casing having a reduced portion between its ends, avalve slidable longitudinally over said guide and having a' l rst valve portion to control said second port and a second valve portion to control said third port,

portions having a, second bleeder opening, means for moving said valve from load-raising to loadlowering position and from either of said posiltions "to load-stopping and holding position, the

relationship of said valve portions and said bleeder'openings to said ports and to said re.-

from. load-raising towards load-stoppingand l'holding position a portion ofthe fluid pressure `from said third port passes through thejbleeder opening in said second valve portion and along `said reduced portion of the valve guide and out of said second-named `bleeder opening to thereby establish a cushion effect which reduces the a shock in stopping the loaded ram. r

4. A control valve for use in a fluid circulating .system of the type' wherein iluidjunder pressure is `pumped by a pump from a reserve tank to a hydraulic ram which raises, lowers, and stops and holds a load, comprising a main'valve casing having agby-pass and having a nrst port for adand a third port for admitting fluidunder pressure to said ram; a fixed` guide in said;casing having a reduced portion between itsends, a vaive slidable longitudinally over said guide and having spacedrvalve portionsto control certain of said ports, said valve having three operative positions, the valve in the first of` said operative.-

positions connecting said first andsecond ports yand blocking said third port to thereby hold "said ram against movement, the valve inthe second of said operative positions connecting said first` and third ports and blocking said second port 'to therebyraise 4said ram, and the valve in the third of said positions; connecting all of said ports `to thereby lower said ram, and bleeder means mitting pressurefluid from the pump to the valve i casing, a second porty for sending pressure fluid from the valve casing to the reserve tank, a `third -port for sending pressure fluid from' the valve casing to the hydraulic ram, andel fourth port connecting with saidsecond 'port through said by-passfa fixed guide in said main casing` having a `reduced portion between its ends, av main valve slidable longitudinally over said guide and having a first valve portion to control said second port and aV second-valve portion to control said third f port, said`- second valve portion having a bleeder` opening therein, and said valve betweenjsaid valve portionshaving a second bleeder opening,y

a valve casing extension communicating with said main valvecasing through said fourth port adjacent said valve portionsand coacting with the reduced portion of said valve guide for eil'eoting communication between said third and secthird position-to saidilr'stfposition to `thereby retard said-'ram before it is stopped.

2. The control valve offciaim 1, said guide and said suce va1vs having itching portions which when `the valve reaches its load-stopping and holding position ,automatically `inter-engage to V frictionaliy, lock the valve against accidental i rrmrvexnent,` i

ond ports on movement of said valve from said and 'having a normally closedport for communicationwith said first port, a safety valve, normall-y blocking said port of the valve casing extension but yieldable. under excessive .pressure load on the ram to unblock the same and permit the pressure iluid to pass therethrough and out of the main valve casing by wayof said fourth l port, said by-pass. and said second port, means .tra

lfor moving said main-valveffrom load-raising to load-lowering position v and from eitherfof said positions to load-f stopping and holding position,l

v the relationship of said valve portions. and said relie! openings to said ports and to said reduced portion or the valve guide being suchthat in all operating positions of the main valve said first `a. A centr! valve-rer usev in snuid 'circulating port is unblocked, in the load-raising positin said second port is blocked by said iirst valve portion and said third port is unblocked by said second valve portion, in the load-lowering position all of said portsare unblocked, and in the r movementof said valve from load-raisingtowards load-stopping and holding position a p'ox'- tion of the nuid pressure from said third port y passes through the bleeder opening in said second valve portion and along said reduced portion of l0 `the valve guidey and out of said second-named bieeder opening to thereby estabiisha cushion eiIect which reduces the shock in stopping therelieving any pressures built up bythe main valve *l as it approaches either end o! its stroke. v i CABLE D. HENRY. 

